Risk Perception and Psychological Distress Triggered by COVID-19 Pandemic
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Date
2021-02
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AAU
Abstract
This study tried to describe the effect of COVID-19 in risk perception and psychological 
distress, with objective of exploring the extent of risk perception and psychological distress 
triggered by COVID-19 among clients in three selected public health centers in Addis Ababa. To 
that effect, a quantitative research design was employed. Epi info version seven used to 
determine sample size of the study which was a total of 384 participants were selected. In order 
to address the basic research questions of the study, data were analyzed using SPSS, t-test, and 
ANOVA and Pearson correlation statistical techniques. Accordingly, the study revealed 
important findings about risk perception and psychological distress. Majority of the clients 
heard about the corona virus through Facebook and telegram, with rgard to the risk perception 
of the clients the total average mean that participants on this study had moderate or lower level 
of risk perception and with regard to the level of psychological distress, the study revealed that
the total average mean indicate the level of psychological distress triggered by COVID-19 was 
moderate. It was observed that statistically there were significant differences among clients on 
the the extent of psychological distress triggered by the outbreak of Corona Virus. The result of 
correlation coefficient between the two variables (r = 0.782, p = 0.000<0.05) indicated that 
there was statistically significant relashinship between risk perception to covid-19 and 
psychological distress due to covid-19 pandemic. The magnitude of correlation coefficient (r = 
0.782) approved that the relashinship between them was high and directly correlated
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Keywords
Risk perception, Psychological distress